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Saturday, 19 May 2012

Just The Essentials

My "essentials".

Often when I go out, I carry not just my handbag but a calico bag with what I consider "essentials" for being away from home.

It contains all the medication I am likely to need for the time I plan to be out, but for the rest of the day as well, just in case I stay out longer than planned. It also has my "emergency" drug meloxicam - an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) for use when pain is totally out of control. There's also a tube of Voltaren (anti-inflammatory) gel to go straight on to sore joints.

Sunblock is an absolute necessity, and I go nowhere without it. There's also hand cleaning gel (I'm obsessive, but I have good reason to be), and in winter a hand moisturiser. Tissues are fairly standard for most people.

There's a paper diary which has the basics of my medical history in it, with contacts for family members and doctors, and details of all my medications. (I have the same information in my mobile phone, but phones can break, crash, eat data.) I also tuck blood test orders, doctor's referrals, etc in the back of the diary, so it's always in the bag when I go to appointments. I don't have to think about where I left important pieces of paper.

Since my birthday, my gorgeous new Kindle the kids gave me goes everywhere as well. Even if I only go out to buy fruit and veges, there's a chance I'm going to want to sit quietly somewhere and recover before I drive home - and the Kindle is much neater and lighter than many of the paper books I used to carry.

Depending where I'm going, a bottle of water, a couple of reusable supermarket bags or a reusable coffee cup, or a piece of fruit, will be added, but those are the basics. The bag is usually left mostly packed, with just the pills and extras to be added before I go out the door.

Other blogs and books by the same author

Blogs

Patchwork

Patchwork is an anthology of short stories and poems by author and blogger Iris Carden. In this volume, you will deal with the aftermath of a dog bite in Bad Moon Rising, spend a sleepless night with The Possum in the Roof, and investigate a weird religious cult in The Time of Blood and Death. The print version of the book has a bonus story not in the eBook version.

Beside Still Waters

A book of sermons and brief reflections on Christian Scripture, by Rev Iris Carden. There is no specific order to the items in the book, they are intended to each be a "surprise" in that they are not related to the items around them. It is hoped that in each, the reader will find something new or special, or unexpected, a message from God. Rev Iris Carden has a Master's Degree in Theology and more than 10 years of experience as a Christian minister.

Cat-it-orial

Mr Bumpy is such a talented cat, he even runs his own website: mrbumpycat.com. He is a blogger, and a very bad cat. His favourite hobby is world domination. His next hobby is harassing the humans and other animals he shares a home with. In this book, you can see the world through the eyes of a megalomanicat, and some of the other animals who share his home.

Group Meeting

(Novella) In a facility for people recovering from mental illness: a group of people with sinister pasts starts to be visited by a girl who doesn't exist.

Karlee

Failing author Terry Dixon is made an offer that seems unbelievable. He can have all of his problems solved, have everything he has ever wanted, for a price. The price is something that "will not be too difficult" for him to pay - but it is not specified what it actually will be. With bills mounting up and a deadline looming, Terry agrees to a deal with something he knows nothing about.

About the Author

Iris Carden is a retired Uniting Church minister and former journalist. Lupus forced her to stop working. On good days she writes.

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This is an Australian Blog

Some of the issues, resources, information discussed may not be relevant to overseas readers. (Some things may not even be relevant outside of Queensland.)

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My email address is iris@sometimesitislupus.com

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If you are a lupus warrior who has something to say, please email iris@sometimesitislupus.com with the subject heading "Warriors' Wall". Include in the email, a nice clear photo of you, your first name, year diagnosed, country, and what you want to tell the world about lupus. (Up to 100 words.)

Blog written by Iris Carden. Permission is given to copy, with attribution, for non-profit purposes. Picture Window theme. Powered by Blogger.